While they’ve never been the most bedroom poster-worthy (minus a few exceptions, of course), BMWs have always been counted on to be as fun to drive as anything with four wheels, and it’s been that way since their very first sports car rolled off the line in 1930.

In celebration of 100 years of existence, we’ve taken a look back on BMWs of yore, and picked our 10 favorites from the last century.

328 Roadster (1936 – 1940)

The 328 was the pinnacle of BMW's motoring efforts, and was so advanced for its time that it won first in its class at the 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans.

(eb.andriuolo)

No, this isn’t the 3 Series your coworker owns (or probably leases, if we’re honest). BMW didn’t start building cars until the mid-1920s, but in the 30s they really started to hit their stride. The 328 was the pinnacle of their motoring efforts, and was so advanced for its time that it won first in its class at the 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as victories in the Mille Miglia for multiple years. With a 2-liter straight-6, this is the first BMW that checked all of the now-common Bavarian boxes: inline-6 engine, racing pedigree, and that iconic “double kidney” grille.

Isetta (1955 – 1962)

The Isetta may not look like a typical BMW, or a typical car for that matter, but it largely saved the company from extinction after WWII.

(Photographer: Marcus Buck/ka.plewka)

Believe it or not, this alien-looking little microcar is one of the most important models in BMW history. As some of the most affordable and useful transportation around, microcars were a hit in post-WWII Europe, where ancient infrastructure and poor economies couldn’t support giant American-style cars. The Isetta began as an Italian prototype, but was put to production by BMW using one of their two-cylinder motorcycle engines. With almost 170,000 made over the course of 8 years, the Isetta gave BMW the cash it needed to reinvent the European sedan with the Neue Klasse series of the 60s and 70s.

507 Roadster (1956 – 1959)

If the BMW 507 isn’t one of the most beautiful cars you’ve ever seen, you may need to have your eyes checked.

(BMW)

I mean, just look at it! If the BMW 507 isn’t one of the most beautiful cars you’ve ever seen, you may need to have your eyes checked. Despite its beauty, however, the 507 was a relative flop at the time, with high production costs pushing the price in the U.S. to double what they intended, and a strong rival in the Mercedes-Benz 300SL sweeping up prospective buyers. The 507 managed to score some celebrity owners like Elvis Presley, who owned two of them, but after 4 years of production and just 252 units sold, BMW ended production on the verge of bankruptcy. Time has looked fondly on the 507 though, as it’s now arguably the most collectable BMW, and routinely sells for 6- and 7-figure transaction prices.

3.0 CSL (1971 – 1975)

You may associate BMW’s lucrative racing history with the E30 M3 or M1 supercar, but the 3.0 CSL is the car that truly put them back on the map.

(BMW)

You may associate BMW’s lucrative racing history with the E30 M3 or M1 supercar, but the 3.0 CSL is the car that truly put them back on the map. Affectionately referred to as the “Batmobile” for its massive fender flares and enormous rear spoiler, the CSL swept European Touring Car Championship races for years. Luckily, thanks to homologation rules, there was a road-going version of the CSL, and while Germany forbade fender flares and spoilers on road cars at the time, it still looked the part with a massive front splitter and wild paint and stripe jobs. It was considered reserved at the time stylistically, but the 3.0 CSL has quickly become a collectors’ favorite for its timeless design, and even inspired a recent concept from BMW’s design studio.

2002 Turbo (1973 – 1974)

As the first turbocharged production car since General Motors flirted with the idea in the 1960s, the 2002 Turbo set a precedent for technology that can be found in almost every production car today.

(Brian Leon)

The 2002 was the ultimate iteration of BMW’s entry-level Neue Klasse line of vehicles, and the 2002 Turbo was the top dog of them all. As the first turbocharged production car since General Motors flirted with the idea in the 1960s, it set a precedent for technology that can be found in almost every production car today. Plus, it looked amazing in white paint with the classic BMW racing stripes and hilariously dated “Turbo” badging. The 2002 Turbo dropped in 1973 with 170-horsepower and perfectly balanced handling, but as it was introduced just before the oil crisis of the same year, production stalled and ended in 1974 after less than 1,700 units were built. That’s a crying shame, as more turbocharged German coupes are always better.

E28 M5 (1985 – 1988)

Sure, there were fast four doors before, but no car embodied the moves of a sports car with the utility of a sedan like the original E28 M5.

(BMW)

You’re looking at the most important sports sedan ever made. Sure, there were fast four doors before, but no car embodied the moves of a sports car with the utility of a sedan like the original E28 M5. Powered by a 3.5-liter inline-6 that made 282-horsepower in Europe and 256-hp in America (thanks to a catalytic converter), the E28 drove as well as Porsches of the era but with the added capability of a usable back seat. It’s the sedan that started the craze, and while there were less than 2,200 produced over a period of 4 years, they’re highly sought after today. Save yourself the premium attached to E30 M3s and get an E28. You’ll thank us later.

E38 7 Series (1994 – 2001)

With looks that had matured from the quad-headlight days of the 1970s and 80s, the E38 7 Series still looks good today, even though it debuted over 20 years ago.

(BMW)

The E38 wasn’t the first iteration of BMW’s full-size executive sedan, but it was certainly the best. With looks that had matured from the quad-headlight days of the 1970s and 80s, the E38 7 Series still looks good today, even though it debuted over 20 years ago. With a 5-speed automatic transmission, a V-8 or V-12 powertrain, and the option for a long wheelbase version, the E38 became a premium ride that was as fun to drive as it was to be driven around in. Heck, it was even a Bond car, with the armored 750iL making an appearance as Pierce Brosnan’s ride of choice in 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies. Talk about a well-rounded roundel.

Z3 M Coupe (1998 – 2002)

A weird, two-seat, pseudo-wagon masquerading as a coupe with an oversized inline-6 sounds like a German fever dream, but BMW actually put one into production in the late 1990s.

(BMW)

A weird, two-seat, pseudo-wagon masquerading as a coupe with an oversized inline-6 sounds like a German fever dream, but BMW actually put one into production in the late 1990s. Powered by the mighty 3.2-liter straight-six right out of an M3, the Z3 M Coupe made a whopping 240-horsepower and 210 lb.-ft. of torque while weighing in at just over 3,000 pounds. That combination made for one of the most hilariously fun sports cars money could buy, with the added bonus of cargo room over the roadster model. While the next generation Z4 employed a more traditional coupe body style, the Z3 Coupe remains one of the automotive world’s true oddities, and from a brand famous for playing things relatively safe, no less.

E46 M3 (2000 – 2006)

There’s only one example of BMW’s famous sports coupe that checks all of the proper boxes, and that’s the high-revving E46.

(BMW)

Many will argue that the original E30 or the V-8 powered E90/E92 is the ultimate M3, but true fans know that’s not exactly the case. There’s only one example of BMW’s famous sports coupe that checks all of the proper boxes, and that’s the high-revving E46. Powered by a howling, naturally-aspirated straight-six that put out a whopping 333-horsepower, the E36 combined the best characteristics that BMW had to offer: perfectly balanced handling, everyday drivability, timeless good looks, and a walloping six-cylinder under the hood. Since it ended production in 2006, BMW has stuck to 8-cylinder or turbocharged power plants for their M models, and considering how good the E46 was, that’s a shame. Luckily, prices on the used market have stayed relatively low, but expect them to climb within a few years as people start to remember it as fondly as we do.

i8 (2014 – present)

You can even drive the i8 it with the doors open…for a short amount of time.

(Jeff Jablansky)

Believe it or not, a hybrid, three-cylinder BMW makes our list of ten favorites, but allow me to explain why. The i8 looks concept-car crazy, and employs technology that will – like it or not – be the driving force in the automotive world for the next few decades. With the i8 BMW effectively proved to the world that hybrids don’t all have to be boring and lifeless, but can look and drive just as crazy as the technology under the skin allows. Sure, it’s not as purely fast or brutish as some of the other models that they offer, but when BMW fans look back on the brand’s history, everyone will remember the i8.